The Untouchable
by Calophi
Summary: Kagome is a lowly untouchable. What happens when she accidently touches a hanyou prince? InuKag SessKik Rated for language. (AU)
1. The Set Up

**Author's note:** I got this idea from reading a couple ficcies where Kagome was a slave. I wasn't gonna write this to avoid flamage, but the idea keeps bothering me so I have to get it out of my head. Rest be assured that I am aware of the slave ficcies and this will not be a slave ficcie in any way. Or a concubine ficcie. And don't read this if you hate Kikyou 'cause I'm changing her character around to suit my needs. Poor Kikyou always gets the short end of the stick, especially in the anime where she's tons more evil than in the manga.... -_- Anyway, I'll continue this if I get reviews. I should have plenty for another chapter if you like this. Enjoy!

**The Untouchable**  
Chapter 1: The Set-Up  
This author makes no claim towards Inuyasha or its characters.

The crowd was thick. People were jammed together all along the sidewalk as great anticipation hung in the air (along with the stench of sweat and body odor). The great hanyou prince of the land was passing through today! His procession should be nearing any moment, and the entire town had lined up in order to catch a glimpse of royalty. There was barely any room for anyone to breathe, let alone walk...unless, of course, you were Kagome Higurashi. If you were Kagome Higurashi, the crowds would magically split to allow you room to pass through. If you just happened to be Kagome Higurashi, you could enjoy a peaceful walk home from just about anywhere without being bumped, jostled, mugged, accosted, raped, or molested in any way. If, for some reason, you were lucky enough to be the one named Kagome Higurashi, you would in fact not be very lucky at all...because Kagome Higurashi is an untouchable. The lowest of the low. The scum of the earth. More vile than the underbelly of a basilisk.

And no one ever lets her forget it.

The caste system was still largely in effect in the world today, and this kingdom was by no means an exception. There was the highest rung - the royals, and then the nobles, and then the upper, middle, and lower working classes, and then the peasants, and then, beneath even the poorest of peasants, were the untouchables. Youkai and humans lived together peacefully enough among the classes, what with both races having representatives all along the social ladder. Youkai in general disliked humans of course, but strict laws that were set in place by the higher-ups kept both the humans and the youkai from becoming dominant. It had been decided long ago by the royal families on both sides that it was best if an agreement was made between them, thus merging the warring races into a peaceful era. As peaceful as a caste system can be, anyway.

Kagome was very much aware of her class, and it pained her. Not that people always told her flat out what she was, heavens no. They'd sooner die than speak to her. Which was pretty much the problem. People went out of their way to avoid her. She was never spoken to, not acknowledged in any way except perhaps when she was buying goods (and even then people took pains not to touch her). Even in crowds the people unconsciously made room for her as if she radiated foulness. Half the time they didn't even look before they moved; they just knew that one of THOSE people was nearby, and they didn't need such filth on their clothes. That was what hurt her the most. The isolation. The feeling that she didn't belong there. She didn't even get along well with the other untouchables, who seemed to enjoy wallowing in their nastiness.

Such as it was with Kagome avoiding others in her class and keeping to herself, she didn't get much by way of news. Every so often she was able to catch a snippet of information here and there while she was running her errands. Errands being limited to buying food, and every so often some clothing. She managed to get money by being reasonably clean - sometimes merciful shopkeepers would allow her to tally their stock, or even buy her wares - she was quite good at making pottery if she could get a hold of the supplies. Of course, if anyone ever knew they were hers they'd never be bought, but Kagome was content that, when mixed amongst the other pottery of the shop, her products sold just as well as the rest. Today she had been at one of these shops selling over a couple bowls that she had managed to bake when she had heard that the youkai prince Inuyasha would be coming into town shortly. She had exited the shop by sneaking through the back door so she wouldn't be seen (what self-respecting owner would allow an untouchable into their shop?) and was greeted with the sight of people lining up to greet the prince.

Reluctant to miss an event such as this even with all the people around, Kagome used her "untouchable aura" to navigate through the sea of citizens and managed to get right next to the road that their prince was to be traveling on. She even had elbow room, and no one seemed to mind her being there and taking up valuable space because they were excited over something. Kagome could feel it thick in the air. But what were they excited about? Royalty passed through often, and there wasn't normally such a clamor attached to such an event.

Focusing her ears on the conversations around her, the lowly girl managed to pick out enough to know what was going on. Apparently, the hanyou prince was to be walking on foot today, not riding in a carriage as per the local custom. Rumor had it that he had snapped. When the request to go out on foot was denied him, the prince had simply set off on his own without permission, and the guards hastened to follow him lest he come to harm or be touched by something less that desirable. _Like me,_ Kagome throught wryly. No one knew why the young prince had gone to such lengths to wander the town on foot, though the shop owners were all convinced that the prince had heard of their wares and had come to sample them, and the women thought that he had come to find a wife, and some of the men were hoping that he was in need of people to do manual labor, which would pay well. Kagome personally thought that the poor guy was tired of being cooped up all the time and wanted to actually DO something for a change.

A loud chatter swept through the crowd as the prince and his royal guard began to march into view. It was hard to see him from afar, but no one could miss his long silvery hair that swept lazily around in the breeze. Kagome gazed at him in an almost hypnotic trance for a few moments before being jostled suddenly. Startled at the fact that anyone would dare to touch her, she looked down at the old woman who had bumped into her with confusion laced in her expression. From the appearence of this woman, it would seem that she was an untouchable as well...but she didn't FEEL like one.

The woman placed a hand on Kagome's arm before the girl could say a word. "What is your wish?" she murmered cryptically, staring deep into Kagome's puzzled brown eyes with a knowing expression.

"My...my wish?" Kagome stuttered, not really knowing what to say. After all, it isn't every day that someone pops up out of the blue, confronts an untouchable, and asks for their wish. At the old woman's nod, Kagome felt something welling up inside of her...something warm and safe. She stood straight and tall, and said, "I wish for eternal happiness." Immediately after saying that, Kagome felt incredibly stupid and blushed a deep crimson, expecting the woman to laugh at her. However, the woman only nodded solomnly.

"That is what I thought," she replied, and with those words shoved Kagome out into the street...and before her she saw the hanyou prince, none-the-wiser of the girl that was about to stumble onto his person. When had he gotten so close? She gasped and tried to stop herself, but the old woman had pushed her too hard and her momentum was too great to be overcome. She ran directly into the silver-haired prince and sent him crashing to the ground with her on top of him. She started to remove herself, but then realized her position and froze with shock; she noticed his fierce, amber eyes gazing into her own, and she was surprised that he made no move to throw her off of him.

She had no time to ponder, however, because a guard grabbed her roughly by her hair and drew her roughly aside, almost lifting her off of the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth to keep from crying out with pain, and then realized that the prince wouldn't touch her any more than necessary...he knew the guards would do the dirty work and remove her for him. She allowed herself to open her eyes only to find the prince's own golden irises still burning furiously at her. _Shit,_ she thought just as she felt something hit the back of her head with a sickening crack and she fell unconscious.

(To be continued...) 


	2. The Punishment

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews! That's the most I've ever gotten for one chapter! My Slayers ficcies don't do nearly so well. I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapter, and please leave more reviews! Questions will be answered at the bottom. Much thanks to my buddy Somari for beta-reading! And, if you've a nose for justice, please sign the petition to keep NC-17 fictions on ff.net! http://www.petitiononline.com/KEEPNC17/petition.html

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**The Untouchable**  
Chapter 2: The "Punishment"  
This One still bears no claim to the characters or idea of Inuyasha.

Kagome awoke from her dark, dreamless void of sleep only to enter a dark, dreamless void of wakefulness. She found herself sprawled on a moist layer of hay that was thinly spread across a cold, stone floor. The hay may as well have not been there at all, for it served her no protection from the chill that eminated from the stone beneath her. All it managed to do was stick nastily to her body in an annoying sort of way, which, Kagome realized, was probably the real reason the hay was here - not to provide comfort but to pester the prisoner.

And a prisoner she was, for even with the distinct lack of light that limited her vision severly, she was able to deduce that she was indeed locked inside a dungeon cell. Not like it was a very hard fact to come by, actually. With the pungent stench of feces and death surrounding her, not to mention that she could just make out the faint outline of bars from wall to ceiling directly in front of her, what other conclusion could she have possibly come to? Not that she was terribly surprised to be in such a place as a dungeon. Dungeons were generally the place where one goes when they have broken the law, and Kagome had done so when that batty old woman shoved her, an untouchable, into a prince. What the hell was that stupid woman thinking, anyway? It was common knowledge that those of a lower class should never, under any circumstances, touch someone of a higher class than they without express permission, and that went tenfold for untouchables. And she had just touched a member of royalty. She, Kagome of the lowest possible order of human beings and youkai alike, had touched someone from the highest order! She surely was to be publicly executed as an example to others at dawn of the following day.

Kagome willed herself to stir, the stone floor roughly scraping her skin as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Immediately her injury caused her head to swim and she fell foward, barely throwing her hands out in time to catch herself before her skull was bashed yet again. Leaning one elbow on the ground and keeping her face lowered, she tentatively placed one hand on the back of her head and felt her wound, wincing at the pain it brought. It felt like it had stopped bleeding, which was good, though her hair was a mess of blood and tangles that would be impossible to comb out. Not like it mattered anyway since she was to die in what was probably just a few short hours hence. She had no idea how long she was unconscious, but she was positive that night must have fallen already at least.

She gathered her strength, or what was left of it anyway, and managed to sweep her legs around from underneath her and place her feet flat on the floor in front of her. This being done, Kagome was able to slowly scootch herself back against one of the cell walls and leaned on it as she continued to push with her feet, inching herself up the wall. She soon got herself in an upright position and took a step foward only to feel herself waver, and she shot a hand out to the wall to balance herself. After taking a few deep breaths, Kagome felt her senses steady and she slowly made her way to the front of her cell, keeping one hand on the wall for balance. She peered out nervously through the bars.

"Hello?" the girl called meekly, not expecting an answer nor really wanting one in the first place. She could hear the shuffling of other prisoners along with assorted moans, but it seemed that there was no one else around. She gripped the bars and moved along them to get a better view of the dungeon. There wasn't much light, but a little way to her right there was a torch on the wall which provided at least a little visual aide. It didn't help much from her position; the flicker from the fire barely reached her eyes and caused some slightly eerie shadows. She was, at least, able to discern her position in the dungeon - she was reasonably close to one of the exits if she could still see that torch. Probably for easy access in the morning, she guessed. Behead the dirty roach of society as soon as possible.

Kagome held her breath as she heard footsteps echoing down what was probably a long stairwell that ended at that exit. A heavily armored figure emerged from the opening and Kagome sensed that it was a youkai, though its aura wasn't all that strong. She gulped as it approached her, allowing her to see only that it was humanoid in shape - the rest of its features were hidden beneath a light body of chainmail and a helmet, the top of which had two very long and skinny points a the top that were probably adapted for the youkai's ears. It carried an axe...a very large and quite threatening axe in fact, which would explain why Kagome yelped and fell backwards onto the ground when the guard rammed this very same axe against the metal bars with an ear splitting clang.

"You're awake," it growled. _No crap,_ Kagome thought as she shook her head, trying to rid herself from the intense ringing in her ears. The youkai growled louder, though without words this time, and Kagome stared dumbly at him from her spot on the floor. He took a key from his belt and unlocked the gate to the cell, throwing it open and causing it to clamor into the stone wall. The poor girl shivered as the guard entered the cell and leaned over her, his breathing harsh inside of his helmet and his slitted pink eyes whirling with anger. "Get up."

Kagome struggled to comply with his wishes but the dizziness returned and she fell back to the floor. The youkai snorted in disgust and grabbed her by her hair, reopening the wound on the back of her head and causing her to shriek with pain, and tossed her out of her cell and into the corridor in front of it. "GET UP."

"I...I can't," she whimpered, tears streaming down her face. The youkai guard snorted with disgust and hauled her up by her arm and proceeded to roughly drag Kagome to the stairs; she made a futile attempt to coordinate her legs to keep up with him but ended up getting scraped along the floor anyway. Noticing the dead weight behind him, the guard huffed and picked up the poor girl, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her up the stairs.

"Kami-sama," he muttered, "it's bad enough he decided to pick up an untouchable, but a pathetic human to boot is even more of a disgrace!" This did not go unheard to Kagome's ears, and her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't going to be killed, but kept instead? _Why?_ she thought frantically. _What's going on?_

Kagome was brought through a long, twisting corridor before the guard kicked open a door and Kagome had to squint against the flooding daylight that invaded her eyes. She could tell that it was already midday, and that if she was to be executed it would have been hours ago. Just how long was she unconscious in that dungeon? And why wasn't she dead yet? She managed to get her eyes in focus and started scanning her surroundings from her uncomfortable position on the youkai's shoulder. It seemed that she was in a beautiful garden filled with all sorts of flora and fauna. A clear, shimmering lake lay in the middle of the garden, and Kagome stared in awe, thankful that she could have seen such a gorgeous place within her meager existance.

The guard strode to the lake and set Kagome down carefully on the soft sands that surrounded it. She wavered on her feet and almost fell onto the soft grass, but the guard caught her and roughly stood her up again. "Don't touch anything but this sand until you disrobe and purify yourself in this lake, understand?" he hissed. Kagome nodded and slowly began to remove her rags, making sure they were folded into neat piles on the sand. She contemplated asking the guard to avert his eyes from her nude figure, but realized that this would be a stupid thing to ask and so she entered the lake and submerged her form into it's depths with nary a word.

The water was not cold, but it was not hot. It emitted a soothing warmth that relaxed her body, and she sighed happily as she swam out into the center, letting the water rinse her skin of the muck and filth of her every day life. She let her feet touch the bottom of the lake, which wasn't deep at all, and the sand felt smooth against her feet. She ducked under the water to scoop up some of the sand, and used it to scrub into some of the deeper dirt stains that had been left. Oh a whim she rubbed it into her hair and on her wound, the pain from which she hadn't felt since her feet had touched the beach, and she knew it was healed and that all the traces of blood had vanished from her hair. Her skin and body felt pristine and cleansed, and Kagome swam back to shore, her health and energy restored with a new vigor. Upon reaching the beach, Kagome noticed one thing quite quickly. "Hey!" she demanded. "Where are my clothes?"

"We burned them," the guard stated, his harsh eyes causing Kagome to quiet herself. "They were infested with your impure filth, and could not be allowed to remain on the grounds. You are to wear this instead." The guard handed Kagome a bathrobe and a pair of slippers, and she placed them gingerly on herself, reveling in the way the soft material felt against her skin as nothing else had.

Almost as soon as she tied the belt to her robe, the youkai guard grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the lake and towards a great castle that Kagome hadn't paid attention to while she was enraptured with the beauty of the garden. The castle was magnificient in its own way, towering over the lands and reaching high up into the sky. It was both intimidating and lovely, and Kagome was disappointed that she was whisked inside without given more than a cursory glance at the building she was now entering.

Inside the castle the halls were full of life; servants scuttled this way and that preparing for dinner, and there were guards that stood dutifully at their posts. Kagome ached to look around, but as she was being drug through the halls by a particularly gruff youkai, she hadn't any chance. After turning this way and that, she soon knew that she would not be able to find her way back to the lake without assistance - this castle was like a maze!

Awed that she was allowed to traverse in such a place, Kagome didn't notice when the guard holding her hand stopped and she crashed into him, rattling his armor a bit. "Watch where you're going!" he commanded, and she nodded and rubbed her sore shoulder as she watched the guard knock on a large, exquisite-looking door.

"What is it?" came a highly irritated voice from inside the room.

"I have brought the untouchable wench from yesterday. She has been purified."

The door swung open and Kagome found herself staring into the handsome face of the hanyou prince. His strange, silver hair glittered in the sunlight that streamed in through the windows, and Kagome noticed two furry dog ears on top of his head. The prince grabbed her chin and stared into her eyes, which were widened with shock. When he let go of her she saw his amber eyes narrow menacingly, and she stared demurely at the floor, knowing immediately that she was doomed when the prince spoke:

"What the hell is this?"

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**"To My Readers" section!**  
_(Yay, no flames this time around!)_  
  
**FishyKittie**: Continue Princess Zelgadis OR ELSE! ^_^  
**vicious-wolf**: No, not the katana! ::shivers with fear:: I'll update soon, I promise! Don't hurt me! Anyway, I never saw that movie either, but I think their untouchable name meant that they were kick-ass cool, not that they were low-down dirty.  
**Naatz**: No, untouchables don't have powers, but you probably can tell that Kagome isn't a normal untouchable, or a normal person for that matter. ^_~  
**Aaries**: You're missing out. Try reading Awakening Power by Crystalite for starters. There was another one I really liked where Kagome was bought specifically to be Inuyasha's concubine, but I can't seem to find it. If anyone knows where it is please tell me!  
**Inaho**: It should be different in that Kagome isn't a slave or a concubine...she's lower than Inuyasha, yes, but how they treat each other and his reason for keeping her around and such are totally different, and that should lead it down a unique storyline.  
**Lady Pyro**: Well in today's world, untouchables are people that are born into the caste that handles the disgusting jobs, like tanning hides of dead animals and dealing with dead bodies in the streets. They are believed to be souls that were cruel in their past lives and are being punished for it now. The untouchables in this story are similar to that, and they are deemed not worthy to associate with the higher classes lest the higher ups become as impure as the untouchables.  
**Pyro**: You sure you really want a spoiler like that? >:)  
**Winter**: No problem. I follow the Kikyou from the manga, not from the anime...I think Kikyou is a very noble character after she finds out what Naraku did, and wants to do the right thing. She even compliments Kagome, not try to kill her! I hate how they changed her for the anime. GRR!  
**Everyone Else**: Thank you so much for supporting me! I do hope you liked this second chapter. 


	3. The New Life

**Author's note:** Zoodness! I do NOT deserve all these reviews, people. Go review someone who updates a lot. #^_^# But seriously, I started to write this chapter, and thought it sucked, so I stopped. But you all want it, so if it isn't as good as the other chapters, it's your fault for making me put it up. Oh yeah, SOMEONE go read my original fiction and review it - lemmie know if you like it. No one has yet. T_T

**Another Author's note:** This chapter has been edited. I might lose some of your reviews; I don't know how it works when a chapter is reuploaded. If you asked a question and I don't answer it next chapter it's 'cause your review was lost. But I really wanted to fix those bad verb tense inconsistancies I did. 

**The Untouchable**  
Chapter 3: The New Life  
You sillies, you know I don't own Inuyasha.

"What the hell is this?" The prince's booming voice echoed throughout the corridor and bounced from the ceiling so that Kagome had to go through the pain of hearing him reject over and over again. Is this what the land's beloved royalty was like? They just picked people off the street,gave them hope, and then crushed their dreams? And here she thought that she might be free from the disgusting life of an untouchable. She thought she would be spared the punishment of being executed for touching the prince when she was ordered to swim in that pond. Was she really brought here to be a toy? To provide the prince with amusement for a short while, to let him play with her life until he felt like ending it?

Evidently the guard thought so. He smirked wickedly. "Forgive me, Lord," he said as he bowed to the angry prince before him. "I should have known you were joking when you said to bring her to you; I will have her disposed of immedi--"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" the young hanyou spat. "Look at this wench! How dare you bring her to me like this?"

Kagome's head sunk lower in shame while the guard hurried to answer. "I understand, my Lord," he rushed, "which is why I will--"

"Shit, man!" the prince continued, slamming the door frame with his fist and not even acknowledging the guard's response, "She's wearing nothing but a bathrobe! Her hair is sopping wet and she's dripping all over the floors! She looks like a wet rat! For Kami's sake, what if word gets out that a guest of a castle was brought before me as such!" he ranted loudly, oblivious to the shocked look he was recieving from both Kagome and the guard. "What would the people think of me, accepting the fact that some wench was running around her almost naked! Hell, my brother would kill me himself!" He snarled and pointed down the hallway to the left of his door. "Take her to Sango for measuring and a temporary wardrobe."

"B...but Lord Inuyasha..." Like lightning, the youkai was lifted into the air. His eyes were wide and frightened as he stared down at the hanyou who was holding him up by his chainmail - with one hand, no less.

"CLOTHE HER," the prince growled, and dropped the guard on the floor with a clatter. As he strode back into his chambers, his amber eyes flicked back to Kagome and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod before he slammed his door on the confused untouchable and the embarassed castle guard. The pair were bathed in silence for a few moments, dumfounded by the order that had just been given. 

Finally, the guard forced himself to rise to his feet and strode past Kagome in the direction that the prince had indicated. "Come," he mumbled grudgingly, "You shall be clothed."

"Y...yes," she breathed, and hurried down the hall after him. Just what was going on here? It was obvious that this guard was just as confused as she was about the situation - he couldn't understand why the prince wanted to keep her in the castle, especially when he knew that she was an untouchable. It would have served her right to die for touching someone as noble as he, and the fact that he was allowing her to stay - not just that, but bathing her and now clothing her - only served to strengthen her conclusion that she did not even deserve to sleep in his dungeon, let alone tread the very halls upon which he walks daily! Not that she was complaining, because she had a feeling that being executed wouldn't be very pleasant.

Kagome was brought before another door that was not quite as elegant as the first, but still quite impressive. Instead of knocking, the guard pushed it open and pulled Kagome inside. She gasped in awe; there were racks and shelves and closets full of clothing for all occasions - daily wear, fancy balls, masquades...Kagome felt like she was visiting with the Gods, to be privy to such a fabulous room! And there, in the center, was a fairly pretty young girl, toiling away in a chair with a needle and thread to hem a pair of pants. Her hair was dark and silk, swept back in a high ponytail that did little to keep the hair from her back since it was extremely long. Her eyes were lightly tinted pink and her lips were full and pouting as she tried to push her needle into the thick canvas of the pants but succeeding only in pricking her finger. Sticking her wounded digit into her mouth, she glanced up at her visitors. When she spotted Kagome the girl's eyes twinkled happily and she tossed her work aside to greet the robed untouchable.

"Thank you for bringing her to me, Sir Ookoumori. I will take care of her." The girl bowed to the youkai guard, who curtly did the same and left the room without so much as a word. The girl turned to Kagome and bowed. "Greetings. I am Sango, the seamstress of this castle."

"I am Kagome. Pleased to meet you," Kagome replied with a lilt in her voice as she bowed, happy that someone was addressing her in a polite fashion though she knew she didn't deserve it. Sango looked surprised that Kagome would have such manners (considering her background, that is) and she threw the still-wet girl a sweet smile.

"The same, Lady Kagome," and giggled when Kagome stared wide-eyed at her. "I thought you'd like being called that, and you had better get used to it. Formality abounds here, even though it's only for show." She took Kagome by the hand and pulled her over to one of the wardrobes. "Something in here ought to fit you," she said as she threw open the doors and started shuffling through the dresses which hung inside. "It's great to have another female around here to talk to. You have no idea how lonely I get, what with the Lords Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha being so arrogant and Lady Kikyou up to her elbows in work. No one else pays me any mind, since I'm an untouchable and all, though sometimes I manage to have meaningful conversations with those who come to give me work to do." She pulled out a frilly pink gown and held it up to Kagome, who was still in shock. "No...no. This is too childish for you." She deftly hung the gown back up and started rummaging again when Kagome finally found her voice.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked meekly, not afraid to speak before spoken to now that she knew Sango's social status. Sango paused for a moment, leaving one hand on the closet to keep her place, and peered back at Kagome.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

All of Kagome's thoughts came out in a rush as she babbled out her concerns to Sango. "Why did I not get executed? Why are people touching me? What's with that lake outside? And," she added as an afterthought, "how did YOU get to stay here?"

"Woah, woah! Take it easy, Kagome. I can't believe that hard-headed idiot didn't bother to tell you anything." Sango went back to her search in the closet, considered a purple gown for a moment, and then pushed it aside. "The lake outside the castle is a sacred purification spring, bless by a powerful priestess centuries ago - Lady Kikyou is rumored to be her direct descendent, actually. Even an untouchable that bathes within it is purified completely for a least a week. As for Sir Ookoumori touching you before you entered the spring, his armor contains grains of melted sand taken from the bottom of the lake, protecting him from impureness. All of the guards here wear holy armor. It doesn't harm a youkai, so long as that youkai does not have evil intentions."

Kagome slumped to the floor, trying to take everything in. "Purified? Is that why I felt that way?" she said quietly, holding her hand to the back of her head where the injury was as a reminder that it was there and that it had disappeared when the water touched it.

"Yeah, it burns, doesn't it?" Sango replied from inside the closet. "The untouchables in the castle hate bathing in the spring, because it burns our impureness away in a rather painful manner. But, if we don't go every week, we won't be allowed to stay here."

Burn? Kagome certainly didn't remember being burnt in the spring. She remembered a lovely tingling sensation coursing through her body. She decided not to bring it up; God only knows what would happen to her if someone found out the spring didn't work.

"I see," she said, as Sango tossed an elegant green gown at her. It landed in her lap, and she fingered the velvety fabric for a moment, not believing her eyes. She looked up aghast at the seamstress standing before her. "I...I'm to wear this? But I'm --"

Sango shushed her immediately. "I've been given strict orders for you, Lady Kagome," she scolded. "You are staying here as Lord Inuyasha's personal guest. As such, you are to be clothed as a Lady of this palace. You will also be given your own servants during your stay." She pulled Kagome up to her feet and began to remove her robe. Kagome was too shocked to even notice.

"But...why?"

"No one is quite sure why, actually," Sango replied as she pulled the gown from Kagome's grasp and slid it over her head. "Lord Inuyasha requested that he travel through the town on foot yesterday, rather than ride in a carriage. His guards threw quite a fuss, but the Lord would have none of their objections and almost left without them before they finally gave in. We were quite surprised when he returned with you in tow, especially when he requested that you stay alive and live in the palace for a month."

Sango finished smoothing out the gown and set to work on Kagome's hair, which was now nearly dry. She pulled a comb from a leather pouch that hung from her waist and ran it through the girl's hair, noting how nicely it sparkled as it fell neatly down her back. She left Kagome's side for a brief moment and wandered over to a vanity table on which an ornate wooden chest was placed. She rummaged through it for a moment, then pulled out an emerald hair clip with a smile. "Lady Kagome, please come over here."

Kagome did as she was told, and upon turning around found herself face to face with her reflection in the mirror. She could barely believe her eyes. Her hair was shimmering and her eyes sparkled; her entire body seemed to glow with...pureness. Pureness was the only word the girl could think of. Could that beautiful girl in the mirror be herself? Dull, boring Kagome? She couldn't help but let out a little gasp of surprise as she took in her image, and how perfectly the dress fit, and...

"Hold still, Lady Kagome," Sango said as she steped behind the girl. She swept the sides of Kagome's hair up and back behind her head, fastening it there with the hair clip she had just found. "There, all done," she smiled. Kagome could only stare at herself in wonder. At that moment, the two girls were startled by the sudden opening of the door. Kagome spun around to see the youkai guard from before. He seemed to look as surprised at Kagome's transformation as she herself was. He managed to regain his composure quickly, and addressed the seamstress.

"Sango, are you almost through? Lord Inuyasha is requiring the Lady's presense at the dinner table."

"Yes, Sir Ookoumori. Will you be kind enough to wait for Lady Kagome while I find her some shoes? She will need to be escorted to the dining area."

"I shall wait," he said with a stern expression as he studied the girl in the green gown, causing her to blush slightly. Shortly afterwards, Sango returned to Kagome with a pair of emerald green flats and slid them gently onto Kagome's feet.

"The Lady is ready to be presented," Sango said as she bowed to Sir Ookoumori, who nodded and bowed back.

"She shall be taken to the dining area immediately."

Kagome turned to leave, but hesitated at the door before exiting with the guard. "Sango," she says, turning to face her new friend and servant. "You never told me why you got to stay here."

Sango smiled knowingly. "Let's just say I can do something that no one else can do," she says with a wink. A sharp glare from Sir Ookoumori caught Kagome's attention, and she nodded at Sango before hurrying out of the room, wondering just what was in store for her next.

**To the Readers:**  
  
**hatsuyuki**: Kikyou will be in it, of course! But I'm not sure when I'll feel like introducing her. And for that matter, I'm not sure about when Miroku and Sesshoumaru will enter either, but they'll be in it too. And possibly Naraku - I haven't thought much about the "bad guy" end of the story.  
**Winter**: I like to keep my chapters short so I can end them like that. ^_^ I feel that when I write a long chapter it loses it's effect since I kinda get tired as I write through them. Cliffhangers are evil, ne? Be prepared for more. Muhahaha!  
**Laura-chan**: I remember she tried to kill Kagome way back in the manga in the 13th volume, but now we're in volume 29 and she hasn't tried since then and she also hasn't made an attempt to suck Inuyasha to hell in a long time too. She's acknowledged Kagome's power and is fighting against Naraku. She tried to live her life as a normal girl for a while too - she didn't search for Inuyasha all that time. I think that her hatred is slowly fading...not like it matters anymore...::cries at the official manga::  
**kitty**: Thanks; it was Shared Blood that I was thinking of. ^_^  
**Empress Sasami**: Of course Kagome doesn't die, and Inuyasha most certainly does not get shunned. That'd be too predictable!  
**kmf**: She can't see auras and she can't make others feel her own. She can sorta feel auras and people can feel hers but she doesn't do it on purpose, it's just in her nature to be that way. She probably doesn't even realize it's special. You'll see! ^_~  
**Night_terror**: I won't forget to finish, but I may become uninspired...I tend to leave things unfinished...::weeps for her dead webcomic, Farmboy::  
**Nako-chan**: He wasn't expecting Kikyou, 'cause when Kag ran into him he didn't know her name. In fact, he already knows Kikyou and she isn't an untouchable. Of course, by now you know why he said that last chapter, so replying to you was prolly silly.  
**Everyone else**: Thank you so much for your support! I dont' consider myself that great of a writer, and I'm flattered that you all enjoy my story so much. I hope this chapter isn't as sucky as I think it is, and I'm sorry it took so long... -_-


	4. The Tense Dinner

**Author's Note:** Please forgive me; this is kind of like filler before I get to the next revelation in the story. I hope it'll tide you over for a bit, though. Of course, I didn't answer any questions; I only brought in new ones for you to ponder! Mwahahaha! I'm so evil. I hope you don't hate me.

**The Untouchable**  
Chapter 4: The Tense Dinner  
About Inuyasha: he isn't mine.

Kagome followed Sir Ookoumori silently and briskly through the castle hallways as he led her to the dining area. Although Kagome was taller than most girls her age, the youkai guard was taller; she had to hold her gown off of the floor so that she would not trip while trying to keep up with his long strides. She felt distinctly awkward in such formal clothing, and she was glad that Sango had the foresight to give her flats instead of pumps – Kagome was most certain that she would not be able to walk at all in high heels. As it was, her footsteps echoed sporadically off of the walls as she struggled to find a constant, comfortable pace, and the she sincerely hoped that Sir Ookoumori would not chide her for being unladylike.

_Not that he would be wrong in his assessment_, Kagome thought dryly. After all, she was as far from being a lady as a female could get. She just did not want to be reminded of it. She was nervous enough already.

After a few minutes, the pair emerged into a grandiose room with a long, rectangular table in the center. The wood was so generously polished that it bore the reflection of everything on and over the table, including the three glass chandeliers that must have held over two dozen candles each for the room to be so brightly lit. Tapestries depicting beautiful scenery adorned the walls, each hung in between a pair of intricately carved stone columns that stretched all the way up to the ceiling. Kagome wasn't left long to look at the ornate decorations, however, because Sir Ookoumori stepped forward and bowed to those who were already seated at the table.

"I present Lady Kagome," he announced, and it sounded to Kagome that he had to force out the title he had used before her name. She silently agreed with him; it did not belong there.

She stood still for a moment before realizing that her hosts were looking at her expectantly. Feeling too awkward to speak, she made her way to the one empty seat at the table. She noticed briefly that she would be sitting next to Lord Inuyasha, but she thought nothing of it because she was too busy noticing the many pairs of curious eyes that followed her as she walked across the room and sat in her seat. She made sure she sat with her back straight, but her eyes were downcast and she could feel a flush creeping into her cheeks. It was fairly obvious that everyone wanted to say something, but was holding it back out of politeness. Kagome was fairly good at picking up that sort of thing, because she encountered similar situations just about every day of her life.

As a servant entered the room and began to place plates of salad in front of the diners, Kagome allowed herself to glance up and down the table and look at the others who were seated. Most seemed to be members of the royal guard, and besides Lord Inuyasha, there seemed to be only two members of the royal family. Remembering all that was said since she had entered the castle, she was able to put names to their faces: Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kikyou.

She had not yet touched her salad, as it seemed to her that it would be impolite to start eating before all the plates had been passed out. At least, that is what she thought everyone was waiting for, because no one else had started eating, either. Then the servant left the room, and Lord Sesshoumaru picked up his fork; she let a small grin creep to her face as others followed suit. She had been correct.

Kagome looked down at her own plate. There was more than one fork there, and Kagome did not know what to make of it. With a cursory glance around the table, she noticed that none of the forks looked out of place at anyone else's seat; however, it could not be denied that they were all eating their salads with a fork. She held her breath and reached towards her silverware, aware of the eyes that followed her actions. She tried to look confident as she picked up the outermost fork, and signed in relief when Lord Sesshoumaru gave her an approving glance before he resumed eating his salad. She began to do the same, proud that she had figured out how she was supposed to be eating. She would be sure to watch more carefully when the next part of the meal came out so she could copy the actions of the others more fluidly.

Soon the plates were collected, and small bowls of soup were given to each of the diners. Again, Kagome mimed what the others were doing, and was able to find the proper piece of silverware. Before she began to eat her soup, the newcomer observed the woman across the table take a few spoonfuls, not only to see how it was to be eaten, but to get a better impression of what she looked like. If she was going to spend a month in the castle with Lady Kikyou, it would be important to know as much about her as possible.

The priestess was elegant, with long, ebony tresses tied back with a ribbon and flowing down in a long stream that almost reached her backside. A lock of hair on each side of her head hung down in front of each ear briefly before being tucked behind them, forming hoops that nicely framed her dainty, pale face. As if suddenly aware of being under the scrutiny of the untouchable, Lady Kikyou lifted her head, her gaze meeting Kagome's own. Her eyes were gray – the color of thunderclouds – and seemed as if they were icy cold. Kagome caught a hint of surprise in those eyes as Lady Kikyou looked at Lord Inuyasha's guest closely for the first time. Kagome almost decided to speak to her, but then thought better of herself, realizing that no one else at the dinner table had spoken at all.

And then the main course was served.

It looked simply scrumptious, and Kagome was certain she had never seen anything as delectable as the plate of food that was set before her. Her mouth watered as she closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the tender steak, sizzling vegetable medley, and creamy mashed potatoes. She could feel eyes on her again, and she thought wryly that she must be able to sense them simply because no one ever bothered to look at her before. She opened her eyes and caught the gaze of a young man who was standing behind Lady Kikyou with a serving dish in his hand. His pupils widened in surprise, much the same way Lady Kikyou's eyes had when she first thought to examine Kagome more closely. The lowly girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she fell under his scrutiny.

"Hey, you and Lady Kikyou look a lot alike!" the man said with a jovial grin. "You could be sisters, or something!" Kagome was aghast; there was no way that she looked anything like the graceful, elegant queen that sat before her.

A ringing sound filled the air as Lady Kikyou dropped her fork onto her plate. "Please excuse me," she said softly, her head lowered so her expression could not be read. Lord Sesshoumaru gave a slight nod, and the priestess pushed away from the table, stood, and swiftly left the dining area. Kagome noticed that many of the guard were glaring quite nastily at the servant, while others were shooting her a similar stare. She hadn't time to contemplate why, however, for Lord Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Miroku, you had best remove yourself from the presence of this Sesshoumaru," the Lord said coldly. Kagome could not help but notice how his long, silvery hair shimmered down his back in a way that was so like (and yet so unlike) Lord Inuyasha's hair. His face and figure were slender, and though his irises were as filled with gold as those of his half-brother, they were also filled with the same cold, calm expression that Kagome had seen in Lady Kikyou's eyes. Simply put: Lord Sesshoumaru was the most beautiful, frightening man that Kagome had ever laid eyes on.

"Yes, my Lord," the young man replied, and obediently exited the chamber. Lord Sesshoumaru calmly picked up his fork and resumed his meal. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Lord Inuyasha peer at her with a worried countenance before he followed suit. Those who were glaring at Miroku returned to their meals, and the others…continued to glower at Kagome. No one spoke for the rest of the meal, and the young woman was left to her thoughts.

And so, in the silence that was heavier than silence, the meal continued, and eventually ended.


	5. The Incomplete Priestess

**The Untouchable**

**Chapter 5: The Incomplete Priestess**

Kagome remained seated at the table, staring at her reflection that appeared clearly through the glossy wood even after her everyone had left the room and her plate was taken away. They all hated her now, and she didn't have any idea as to what she had done wrong. Even if she did look a little bit like Lady Kikyou, it certainly was not the fault of the untouchable, or even of the servant who had pointed it out.

"What are you still doing here?" a rough voice growled, snapping Kagome out of her miserable silence. She looked up to see Lord Inuyasha standing at the entrance to the dining hall, staring at her expectantly with his arms folded over his chest. She blushed, for she knew she had been caught doing something stupid, and she was rather embarrassed. She dropped her gaze back down to the table so that she wouldn't have to see any disapproving expression that the prince might have on his face.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't know where I was supposed to go, and everyone seemed so angry with me, so I didn't want to irritate them more by asking…"

There was a short moment of silence before Lord Inuyasha strode angrily over to the table and cupped one hand under Kagome's chin, jerking it roughly upwards. Kagome tensed and shut her eyes tightly, and a bit of wetness squeezed out from the corners of her eyelids as she awaited her punishment with fear.

"Stupid girl," he said irritably, "I'm not going to hurt you. Open your damn eyes and look at me."

She did as she was told and found her gaze locked with the hanyou's own amber stare. His eyes glittered furiously, but as she looked into them she was assured that it was not his intention to hurt her, and she allowed herself to relax. The Lord sensed that she was now at ease and removed his hand from her face.

"Good. Let's go."

He turned and stepped forward a few paces, but spun around immediately when he realized that Kagome was not following him. Instead, she was staring at him in shock, not knowing want to think. He sighed and grabbed her by her wrist, pulling her up and out of her chair as if she were no lighter than a feather.

"Walk," he stated. Kagome hastily complied and followed along behind him, her mind a whirl of thoughts. What did he want with her? Why was he touching her so casually when Sir Ookoumori all but treated her like a plague? She also wondered why he would want to have anything to do with her in the first place, especially when she had been the cause of that horrible scene during dinner.

She shook her head and tried to pay attention to where the Lord was leading her as they made their way through the winding castle halls. In the back of her mind were the nasty echoes her footsteps were making because she did not know how to walk like a lady. It wasn't quite as unnerving as when she had made her way to the dining hall, though, because Lord Inuyasha was practically stomping, and his loud footsteps drowned out her own a great deal.

Eventually, the prince stopped in front of a large wooden door. It was not as ornate as the door to his own chambers, but it was quite similar. "This is your room," he stated, pushing the door open and ushering Kagome into it. It was the most majestic bedroom she had ever seen, even more grand than she had even dared to dream about. It had a huge, lovely window complete with a balcony, a beautiful four post canopy bed with curtains that could be drawn around it for privacy, a large oak bureau with ceramic statues adorning it, and other various pieces of furniture that Kagome couldn't even begin to describe. She turned to Lord Inuyasha, her eyes wide with awe.

"All this is for me?" she said, aghast. "But I couldn't…I couldn't possibly…"

"It's yours," he snapped, interrupting her, causing her to take a surprised step backwards. "It's yours, and you've every right to be here, because I said so. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

She nodded, unable to voice her extreme gratitude. He didn't seem to care that she hadn't thanked him, for he was already on his way out of the room. He was about to pull the door shut behind him when he looked over his shoulder at his guest.

"The purification spring…it didn't burn you did it." It was more of a statement than a question. Kagome did not reply, but her eyes flicked away guiltily. "I thought as much," he said simply, and then he was gone.

***

Kagome was crying when there was a loud rapping sound on her door. It had been two days since Inuyasha left her in her chambers, and she had refused to emerge to see anyone. She had woken up in the morning to see breakfast laid out for her on a cart, and at mealtimes someone would knock and leave a cart in the hall outside her room. Kagome didn't know who it was, but she was glad to be able to stay in her room and not have to face anybody. She was afraid of what would happen to her once Lord Inuyasha told on her; she wasn't sure what kind of punishment was given to an untouchable when they weren't purified by the spring, but whatever it was couldn't be good, and the people here hated her enough already.

She wished she could go back and live on the streets. At least there everyone ignored her instead of glaring at her like she was the evil incarnate.

And now someone was knocking at her door. It was most definitely not one of the set mealtimes, and Kagome knew that if she were to open her door she would find something other than a food cart outside of it. "Who is it?" Kagome called out from her seat in front of the window, her voice wavering slightly.

"It's Sango, Lady Kagome," was the reply from outside her door. "Are you okay? I haven't seen you in a while..."

"C-come in," she said through a sob, and furiously tried to wipe away her tears with the back of her hand as Sango entered. When the seamstress saw the state that Kagome was in, she gasped audibly and hurried over to the poor girl, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket.

"Lady Kagome! What's wrong?" she asked, clearly worried, and began to dab at Kagome's face with the hanky. "You're such a mess…" 

Kagome gently pushed Sango's hand away and took the piece of cloth from her. "You…you don't have to do that for me," she choked out, blotting her eyes with the handkerchief herself.

Sango sat beside Kagome, placing one hand on Kagome's hanky-free one. "Please, Kagome," she said softly with a very concerned expression. "Please tell me how I can help."

The temporary Lady could no longer hold it all in, and the story about the dinner swept out of her mouth as Sango held her tightly, stroking her hair as she wept. She had gotten as far as when the hanyou led her to her bedroom that night.

"And then…Lord Inyasha t-turned around…and he s-said—"

"Shhh, Kagome, no more," Sango murmured before Kagome could finish her confession. She began to protest, but Sango would have none of it. "Hush now," she interrupted. "It isn't your fault that Lady Kikyou got upset. She used to have a sister, and Miroku must have struck a nerve."

"A sister?" the Higurashi girl whispered, not trusting her voice at the moment.

"Yes, a twin sister, actually," Sango replied, looking sad. "I never met the girl myself, but I know the story, and I could tell it to you if you like."

Kagome nodded and sat back, leaning against one side of the window seat.

"Lady Kikyou's sister was called Haruna," Sango began. "They didn't look anything alike – they were fraternal twins. Haruna had blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and people say that she was like the sky on a beautiful summer day." Kagome remembered what the priestess had looked like two nights ago; black hair and stormy gray eyes…like a foggy winter night…

"The two were inseparable – they did everything together. Their mother died giving birth to them, and it was unknown who their father was. Lord Inuyasha found them when he was but a pup when he escaped from the royal carriage during an outing. They were playing in the mud, and he decided to join them. Lord Sesshoumaru was so upset when he found his brother all dirty!" Sango giggled, and Kagome managed a smile – imagine, a young Lord playing in the mud with girls!

"Lord Inuyasha begged for the girls to be brought to the castle, and because he sensed a great a great holy power from within Lady Kikyou, he gave in under the condition that Lady Kikyou begin training to be a priestess. Haruna, though, was different, and it was said Lord Sesshoumaru made sure she bathed in diluted water from the sacred lake once a week.

"After a few months, Lady Kikyou had to cleanse herself in the lake as part of her training. She had immediately went to her twin to tell her how wonderful it felt, because the water was cool and had eased most of the tension in her muscles from her training sessions. She knew Haruna had always been complaining that her baths were always a bit too hot so that her skin burned, and wanted her sister to try out the lake and see if that helped."

Kagome held her breath. She knew where this was going.

"So Haruna went out into the lake with Lady Kikyou, who immediately started splashing around. But the Lady realized that her sister wasn't following suit, and she turned to look behind her…" Sango sniffled slightly, her voice wavering a bit. "Haruna had swam in as far as her sister, but the full strength of the water was too much for a little girl…it caused her so much pain that she couldn't move, and…she drowned."

The room was silent for a moment before Sango continued.

"Lady Kikyou feels guilty for having killed her sister. That's why untouchables are allowed in the castle now. Lord Sesshoumaru has always favored her, and has allowed untouchables here for fifty years since that incident. He feels guilty for not having told her about her sister…"

"Fifty years?" Kagome gasped. Lady Kikyou didn't look fifty years old!

"Her holy powers grant her an extended life," Sango explained. "She's about Lord Inuyasha's age…seventy or so, I'd think. They grew up together." Sango looked out the window only to see the sun setting in the sky. "Oh no!" she breathed. "I'm sorry, Lady Kagome, but I have duties that still need to be done, and they'll come looking for me if they find I haven't done them."

"That's alright, Sango. I feel a bit better now." She leaned over and gave Sango a brief hug before the seamstress hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.

Lord Inuyasha had grown up with Lady Kikyou. He'd known her for fifty years. Surely he had noticed right away that Kagome greatly resembled his childhood friend. Is that why he had kept her alive? Because he couldn't bear to kill Lady Kikyou's untouchable look-alike?

Kagome didn't know if this revelation should leave her feeling relieved…or resentful.


End file.
